Downstream Oil Industry Forum

Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the terms of reference are of the Downstream Oil Industry Forum; who the members of the forum are; when the first meeting of the forum will be; who will chair the forum; and if she will make a statement. [70326]

Mr. Wilson:
I have invited the main trade associations in the oil distribution and marketing sector (Association of United Kingdom Oil Independents (AUKOI), Federation of Petroleum Suppliers Ltd. (FPS), Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), UK Petroleum Industry Association (UKPIA)), and some of their members to join me for a discussion on 24 July 2002.

This will be an informal discussion under my chairmanship and there are no formal terms of reference. Discussion will focus on the following:

(a) The distribution infrastructure (including its longer-term maintenance, use and implications for security of supply).
(b) Service to motorists in rural areas.

Carbon Dioxide (Underground Sequestration)

Gregory Barker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the sites under consideration for underground sequestration of carbon dioxide. [71524]

Mr. Wilson:
While no decision has yet been made with regard to specific sites as planning is currently only at the initial stages, those currently under consideration all lie in the UK offshore economic zone.

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Wind Farms

Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the United Kingdom's electrical power came from wind power in the last year for which figures are available; and what is being done to increase the amount of wind farms. [70802]

Mr. Wilson:
In 2001, the last year for which figures are available, electricity generation from wind power in the United Kingdom was 965 GWh. This was 0.3 per cent. of total UK electricity generation for that year.

Wind energy, along with other forms of renewable energy, stands to benefit substantially from the introduction of the Renewables Obligation from 1 April this year. This places an obligation on electricity suppliers to supply a specified proportion of their electricity from renewable sources. The level of the Obligation is set to rise each year reaching a target of 10 per cent. by 2010, by which time its value could be up to £1 billion per year. The Obligation has been set up for a 25 year period (200227), providing the right climate for expansion of wind energy and renewable energy generally.

Wind energy, along with other renewables, also benefits from exemption from the Climate Change Levy.

The Government have assigned £74 million over the next three years for capital grants for offshore wind energy projects, where initial capital costs are greater, and the technology is less well established, than is the case for onshore projects. 19 schemes for the development of offshore wind farms have so far been granted leases of areas of the sea bed by the Crown Estate.

We are encouraging a positive approach to new renewable energy proposals, including new wind farm proposals, through regional renewable energy plans and targets.

National Wind Power's Windworks scheme offers farmers and landowners an opportunity to share in the profits of small-scale wind energy projects developed on their land.

Gregory Barker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many proposals to develop (a) onshore and (b) offshore wind farms her Department has received in 2002. [71583]

Renewable Energy

Gregory Barker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her Department's renewable energy supply target is for 2020. [71529]

Mr. Wilson:
The Government launched a consultation on energy policy on 14 May with a view to publishing a White Paper around the turn of the year. This consultation covers the issue of a renewable energy supply target to 2020, following a recommendation to Government by the Performance and Innovation Unit that this target should be 20 per cent.

The Government's views will be made known in the White Paper.

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Mr. Peter Duncan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which factors have added uncertainty to her predicted future generating costs of power from (a) wind power and (b) photovoltaic cells. [64343]

Mr. Wilson:
Estimates of the future costs of generating electricity from wind and photovoltaic cells are set out in:

chapter 6 and annex 6 of "The Energy Review", which was produced by the Cabinet Office's Performance and Innovation Unit (http://www.piu.gov.uk/2002/energy/report/index.htm); and

Both reports were published in February 2002 and copies of them are available in the Libraries of the House.

The above publications discuss factors that contribute to uncertainty surrounding future generating costs of different forms of renewable energy. I am not aware of any significant developments since these reports were published that would affect these factors in a material way.

Gregory Barker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received regarding the intermittency of renewable energy. [71579]

Mr. Wilson:
Problems experienced by smaller intermittent generators were raised in the context of the consultation exercise on New Electricity Trading Arrangements (NETA) and smaller generators. A conclusions document was issued in April entitled: "Government Response to the Consultation on NETA and Smaller Generators of 1 November 2001", a copy of which is in the Libraries of the House.

A number of proposals that smaller intermittent generators suggested to assist them, such as the removal of barriers to consolidation and the reduction of gate closure to one hour, have already been implemented.

Other issues, such as the cost-reflectivity of the balancing mechanism under NETA, will be examined in Ofgem's review of the first year of operation of NETA. The review is expected shortly and a copy will be placed in the Library. The Government will consider in the light of this review whether further changes are required to NETA.

Company Information

Linda Perham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the information that companies are required to provide her Department, indicating where these items are subsequently published. [69401]

Ms Hewitt:
Companies registered under the Companies Act are required to deliver certain statutory information to Companies House. This includes their annual financial accounts, details of their directors and shareholders as well as other notifications of changes or events within the company. Under the provisions of the Insolvency Act, they must also deliver details of any insolvency proceedings.

All information delivered to Companies House is made available for public inspection, except in the case of the residential address of directors/secretaries who are

22 Jul 2002 : Column 789W

beneficiaries of a Confidentiality Order who would be at serious risk of violence or intimidation if their address was made public.

Ministerial Salaries

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the annual cost was of ministerial salaries in her Department in (a) 199798 and (b) 200102. [60941]

Ms Hewitt:
The levels of ministerial salaries are recommended by the Senior Salaries Review Body. From May 1997, in this Department there was one Cabinet Minister at an annual salary of £43,991; three Ministers of State at a total annual salary cost of £114,088; and two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State at a total annual salary cost of £47,246. From June 2001, there was one Cabinet Minister at an annual salary of £68,157; three Ministers of State at a total annual salary cost of £106,068; and two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State at a total annual salary cost of £53,670.

Comprehensive Spending Review

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff have contributed to her Department's input to the Spending Review. [68682]

Ms Hewitt:
The Spending Review involved a comprehensive assessment of the Department's performance, priorities and resource requirements and a range of staff made a contribution.

Departmental Expenditure Limit

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much and what proportion of the departmental expenditure limit for 200203 had been spent by 31 May; what the figures were for 200102; and if she will make a statement. [61015]

Ms Hewitt:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 17 June 2002, Official Report, column 130W.